A big chunk of cadres of the CPI(M-L) Red Flag in Kerala is likely to migrate to the CPI(M), next fortnight.

This follows the Red Flag expelling a group of its leaders in Kozhikode, where the outfit has its largest presence, for “anti-party activities and ideological deviations”, which translates to sidling up to the CPI(M).

K T Kunhikannan and K K Mammu, senior members of the Red Flag’s state secretariat, and its Kozhikode district secretary, K Soman, are among those the state secretary ordered out.

Red Flag Central Committee secretary M F Jayakumar told The Indian Express that the expelled led by Kunhikannan had been openly questioning the “very relevance” of the outfit’s ideology in recent months, and working in tandem with the CPI(M) in a way that the Red Flag’s identity was being compromised.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Kunhikannan said he did raise “realistic questions” about the relevance of the party’s ideology largely rooted in the 1969 Lin Biao precepts that the M-L groups held fast to. “We have formed an ad hoc independent group for the moment, and will take a definite direction after presenting an alternative ideology document at a convention we have called on April 18,” he said.

K Soman, expelled with him, said they had initiated a debate in the party about “cooperating with the CPI (M) to further its national role”, and the expulsion was unilateral. He claimed that about half the state’s Red Flag cadre — the state committee claims they number “thousands”, the expelled leaders say “hundreds” —are now likely to go with them into the CPI(M).

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